He was only 2 weeks old 
On a Sunday morning a few years ago, Jo Palma took his family dog out for a walk. As he was turning a corner, he suddenly noticed a tiny kitten appear out of nowhere.
Jo Palma
Despite being a 2-week-old stray, the kitten wasn’t shy at all. He marched right up to Palma and even jumped on top of his dog.
The kitten joined in on Palma’s walk, following him everywhere he went. It became clear he was completely alone, with no parents or siblings in sight. The kitten was barely the size of Palma’s hand, so Palma guessed he was likely the runt of his litter.
“[I]mmediately, my dad instincts just kicked in,” Palma told The Dodo. “I knew if I didn’t do anything, he was gonna die.”
Jo Palma
For Palma, the decision to adopt the kitten was a no-brainer. He decided to name him Leo. From their very first day together, Leo felt comfortable with his new dad.
“He was completely happy that he was found,” Palma said. “He was so curious about everything.”
As a 2-week-old kitten, Leo needed to be bottle-fed every few hours. Palma decided to feed him during his own mealtimes so they could eat together. This habit quickly led to them doing everything else together, too. Before long, the two were completely inseparable.
Jo Palma
“I could not leave him alone, so I just had to take him everywhere,” Palma said.
Palma took Leo with him in the car, to work and even to the gym. Leo liked sitting on Palma’s shoulders as he did bench presses and pull-ups.
“He would actually do some of the exercises with me,” Palma said.
Leo quickly grew from a tiny kitten to a full-grown mature cat. Through all of those changes, one thing has stayed consistent: Palma and Leo’s bond.
Leo is just as affectionate today as he was the day he walked up to Palma and asked to be adopted.
They still do everything together — hiking, going to the beach and, of course, cuddling at home.
Through everything, Leo and the pup Palma was walking have stayed close as well. As tiny as Leo was in comparison to the dog when they first met, they’re practically the same size now.
Palma saved Leo’s life. But Palma credits Leo with changing his life, too. Palma was going through a tough time when Leo chose him, and Leo has been a source of comfort and joy for him ever since.
“When I needed someone the most, he was there for me,” Palma said. “And I was there for him.”
To keep up with Palma and Leo, you can follow them on Instagram here.
